Electrical connector



Sept. 2, 1947. "r, BIRKENMMER ELECTRIGL CONNECTOR Filed'Jan. 17..

ii .L n n: ...m 7 l Patented Sept. 2, 1947 2,426,857 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Theodore Birkenmaier, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to W. N. Matthews Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 17, 1945, Serial No. 573,151

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to electrical connectors, and with regard to certain more specific features, to such connectors for line wires and the like.

Among the several objects ofY the invention may be noted the provision of an` electrical connector in which a permanent assembly of its parts is maintained during connecting `and disconnecting operations; the provision of a connector of the class described which may, if desired, be supported upon and manipulated from the end Of a simple extension wrench; the provision of aconnector of this class which employs substantially full-round threads, thus being strong and reliable when pulled up tightly; and the provision of a connector of the class described which is economical to make. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. I

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplied in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing one form of the invention mounted on the end of an ex tension wrench and in the process of being applied to a line wire;

Fig. 2 is a right-end view of Fig. 1, showing certain alternative positions of an upper jaw;

Fig, 3 is a right-side view of Fig. 2, showing an additional line wire in position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a tightening operation;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedtop plan view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 but showing the device in a. completely tightened position;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing the use of an additional insert piece;

Fig. 8 is a separate plan view of said additional insert piece of Fig. 7;

' Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a second form .of the invention;

Fig. 1I) is a vertical section taken on line IIl--IIl of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a horizontal detailed section taken on line II-II oi Fig. 10.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-6,

there is shown at numeral I a U-shaped clevis member, the spaced, parallel side Walls 3 of which have aligned, open-ended slots as indicated at 5. This forms a lower jaw. In the bottom I of the clevis I between the walls 3 are openings 9 for threaded bolts II and I3. These bolts are .freely slidable through the openings 9 and threaded into openings on opposite sides of a saddle member I5. Member I5 constitutes an upper jaw of cruciform shape which carries tongues Il for sliding respectively in the Yslots 5. Thus it has in effect opposite arms adapted slidably to be admitted between the side walls and the slots, respectively. The bolt II has the end of its threads deformed as indicated at I9'so as to limit outward threading action from the saddle I5 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4). The threads of the bolt I3 are not so deformed but this bolt is provided near the lower limit of its threads with a; threaded collar 2l. This collar is lpermanently staked in its downward position. Above the staked collar 2| the bolt is threaded through the side of the saddle I5 opposite bolt II.

Operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

The assembly is mounted on the socket end 23 of an extension wrench 25. This is done by inserting the head 21 of the bolt I I into the socket of the Wrench. The wrench may have a handle long enough to reach several feet.

The assembly may 'then be hoistedy up to a line wire 29, for example,` with the upper jaw I5 in the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2. The slots 5 will admit the Wire 29 at their upper ends, thus allowing rotation of the upper jaw I5 to the solid-line position (Fig. 2) without corresponding rotation of the lower jaw I.

The wrench socket 23 may then be withdrawn and applied to the head 3| of the other bolt I3 as indicated in Fig. 4 preparatory to screwing the bolt I3 into its respective opening in the upper jaw I5. Before or after the wrench is transferred from the head 2l to the head 3|, the wire 33 to be connected with wire 29 is laid into the slot 5 of the lower jaw as indicated in Fig.` 3. Or, this may be done subsequently to the operation to be mentioned next. Then with the socket 23 applied to the head 3|, the bolt I3 may be threaded and drawn up as shown in Fig. 4. At this time jaw I may move freely up on the bolt' Il. Finally the wrench may be again applied to head -21 and bolt I I tightened up as shown in Fig. 6.

Removal of the connector is accomplished reversely, that is, by backing off the bolt II and kan opening 45 in the lower saddle 4| but it is not then the bolt |3 and finally reapplying the wrench to the head 21 of bolt I| for turning the upper jaw I from a solid-line position such as shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted-line position. This final step permits the lineman to bring the connector assembly into his possession without dropping it.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown an auxiliary conductorspacing piece 35 to be employed if desired between the wires 28 and 33. This member has two grooves 31 for the wires and an eye 38 which permits it to be slipped over the bolt I3 (including the collar 2|). The purpose of this piece is to allow a tight electric connection between wires without requiring the bend shown in Fig. 3. Some wires have thick insulation which requires va member such as 35. It is to be understood that the members may be used or not, as desired.

In Figs. 9-11 is shown another form of the invention consisting in a lower jaw-forming saddle 4| in which are unthreaded openings 43 and 45 for` bolts 41 and 55, respectively. Bolt 41 is solid and threaded through one side of an upper jawforming saddle 5|. It is deformed at its upper end as shown at 53 to prevent complete withdrawal from the saddle 5|. This captive bolt 41 isa counterpart of captive bolt in the first described form of the invention.

A second bolt 55, also threaded, passes through threaded therein. It is threaded to an opening on vthe opposite side of the saddle 5|. This bolt 55 is also longitudinally slotted down to the base of its threads, as shown at 51, The upper end of the slot is blocked 01T by means of a stop pin 59. The threading cuts through the end of the pin 59 so that threading of bolt 55 into the saddle 5| is not 'interfered with. When the bolt 55 has been unthreaded from the saddle 5|, it is free to slide down a certain distance through the lower opening 45.

The purpose of the pin 59 is to limit downward sliding as illustrated in Fig. 11, which shows a. cross-section through the slot 51. As indicated at Fig. 1l the bolt 55 is surrounded by an unthreaded washer 5| having a tongue B3 extending into said slot 51. The washer is loosely held against the upper surface of the saddle 4| by means of tongues 65. These tongues 65 permit free rotation of the washer 6| but prevent its axial movement. Thus the washer may tum when the bolt 55 is rotated, due to the tongue 63 in the groove 51. However, it allows relative axial movement of the bolt 55. Also, whenever the bolt 55 is completely unthreaded from the upper saddle 53, it may slide down until the pin 59 strikes the tongue 63, which limits the downward sliding motion available. Thus bolt 55 is captive on the lower jaw.

Operation of this second form of the invention is similar to that of the first form. In open position, the bolt 55 is unthreaded from the upper saddle 5 I. The pin 59 rests on the tongue 63. The bolt 41 has been backed cir, preferably its maximum distance. Then the assembly may be applied over a wire such as 61. The bolt may then be pushed axially and then threaded through its hole in the saddle 5|. Finally, after applying wire 69, the bolt 41 is tightened up to attain the position of parts shown in Fig. 10. Loosening may be accomplished by backing off the bolt 41 and then bolt 55 which finally drops down until pin 59 strikes tongue 63 but without leaving the as\ sembly.

It will be understood that a device such as 35 may also be used in connection with the form of the invention of Figs. 9-11.

It will be noted that the members and |5 in the case of the rst form of the invention, and the members 5| and 4| in the case of the second form of the invention, in effect constitute paired upper and lower jaws, respectively. Also, one threaded bolt or 41, as the case may be) is captive with respect to both jaws whereas the other bolt (I3 or 55, as the case may be) is captive only with respect to the lower jaw.

It is to be understood that the device may be inverted for use, or applied at any angle.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the aboveA description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

An electrical connector comprising a. clevis shaped jaw formed with spaced, parallel side walls having aligned, open-ended slots for receiving wires, a cruciform jaw having one pair of opposite arms slidably receivable between said walls and its other pair of opposite arms slidably receivable in said slots, a pair of headed bolts extending slidably through one of said jaws and threaded into the other jaw, said bolts being disposed on opposite sides of said slots, one of said bolts having means thereon remote from its head and outward from said other jaw for retaining it captive with respect to both jaws, the other bolt being freely threadable into and out of said other jaw and having means thereon intermediate said jaws for retaining it captive only with respect to said one jaw.

THEODORE BIRKENMAIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,200,380 Bodendieek May 14, 1940 2,287,490 Tenney June 23, 1942 2,309,607 Rogoi Jan.L 26, 1943 

